Shevchenko finds touch to set up all-London final

These have been a testing few weeks but Chelsea can finally allow themselves something of a smile. Recent league form and the fact that they could only draw the first leg two weeks ago suggested that Wycombe might inflict further humiliation on the reeling Premiership champions last night, but two goals from Andriy Shevchenko turned their minds from calamity to Cardiff.

Either Arsenal and Tottenham, who meet tonight in the first leg of their own semi-final, will join Chelsea in next month's showpiece. Jose Mourinho has had to get used to some unfamiliar and unwelcome emotions during this period of relative turmoil but this morning he can enjoy one that he is more accustomed to - once again his team are overwhelming favourites to win a trophy.

Shevchenko's two goals in the first half did much to earn this victory, with Frank Lampard's pair in the second simply embellishing it. But if Chelsea's win was predictable, so was the resistance offered by a brilliantly committed Wycombe side. Their sheer hunger for success had been enough to beat Fulham and Charlton on their way to the semi-finals but the Premiership champions were much too good for them last night. "There's no disgrace," said their manager Paul Lambert. "It's been a fairytale run. Nobody expected us to get past Swansea."

That victory in August's first round launched Wycombe on their best ever run in a competition in which they had never previously got past the second stage. Of course they were always likely to have only memories, rather than medals, to cherish when it finally ended but the size of Chelsea's winning margin should not detract from their achievements here. The quality of Chelsea's team, which saw Ricardo Carvalho and Claude Makelele return after missing Saturday's meek surrender to Liverpool, attests to the respect they had earned and which they thoroughly deserved.

Neither the surroundings nor their opponents' stellar teamsheet could scare Wycombe. Within the opening five minutes Lassana Diarra became the first to find Tommy Mooney's muscular approach to forward play unsettling, a moment's hesitation from Michael Ballack saw him dispossessed by Tommy Doherty, and Will Antwi earned the first and most obvious booking of the evening with an eye-watering challenge on Didier Drogba.

Chelsea never wanted for possession but they initially struggled to convert it into chances. Indeed, they needed a disastrous collapse in concentration from the otherwise steady Doherty to break Wycombe's resistance. The midfielder was under no pressure when he got the ball in defence and looked up to assess his options. His pass, aimed at Russell Martin, found the feet of Shevchenko, in yards of space and 40 yards from goal. The Ukrainian scampered clear to score.

With only one win in five league matches since Christmas there had been little for Chelsea to cheer of late. Which might explain why Stamford Bridge was so quick to acclaim the striker after his goal. Shevchenko might not always provoke Mourinho into so much as a shake of the hand but last night he had his manager to pumping his fists with released tension. Shortly before half-time Drogba's chipped pass was deflected into the Ukrainian's path and, once in possession, unmarked and in the penalty area, his finish was emphatic.

Wycombe remained up for the fight. In first-half stoppage time Petr Cech made his first save of note when he claimed Kevin Betsy's cross from the feet of Jermaine Easter.What slender hopes Wycombe retained rested on them pulling a goal back early in the second half, but when the visitors did get forward, they lived to regret it. In the 69th minute Martin's vicious free-kick bounced off Cech's chest but fell to Carvalho rather than Mooney, and Chelsea broke forward decisively.

The substitute Sergio Torres tussled for possession with Shevchenko, the ball looped into Lampard's path and he took it from the halfway line, past the goalkeeper and the backtracking Sam Stockley and tapped into an empty net.

John Obi Mikel and the substitute Shaun Wright-Phillips both came close before Drogba, in the final minute, rolled the ball across the area for Lampard to complete the scoring.

This trophy may not be the prize they most covet, but last night Chelsea had the look of champions again.